at pains in order to settle some plan for
securing a visit from Rishyasringa. And, O unswerving (prince)! with
those ministers, who were versed in all branches of knowledge, and
exceedingly proficient in worldly matters, and had a thorough training
in practical affairs, he at last settled a plan (for gaining his
object). And then he sent for a number of courtesans, women of the town,
clever in everything. And when they came, that same ruler of the earth
spake to them, saying, "Ye lovely women! Ye must find some means to
allure, and obtain the confidence of the son of the saint--Rishyasringa,
whom ye must bring over to my territory." And those same women, on the
one hand afraid of the anger of the king and on the other, dreading a
curse from the saint, became sad and confounded, and declared the
business to be beyond their power. One, however, among them--a hoary
woman, thus spake to the king, "O great king! him whose wealth solely
consists in penances, I shall try to bring over here. Thou wilt,
however, have to procure for me certain things, in connection with the
plan. In that case, I may be able to bring over the son of the
saint--Rishyasringa." Thereupon the king gave an order that all that she
might ask for should be procured. And he also gave a good deal of wealth
and jewels of various kinds. And then, O Lord of the earth, she took
with herself a number of women endowed with beauty and youth, and went
to the forest without delay.'"

SECTION CXI

"Lomasa said, 'O descendant of Bharata! she in order to compass the
object of the king, prepared a floating hermitage, both because the king
had ordered so, and also because it exactly accorded with her plan. And
the floating hermitage, containing artificial trees adorned with various
flowers and fruits, and surrounded by diverse shrubs and creeping plants
and capable of furnishing choice and delicious fruits, was exceedingly
delightful, and nice, and pleasing, and looked as if it had been created
by magic. Then she moored the vessel at no great distance from the
hermitage of Kasyapa's son, and sent emissaries to survey the place
where that same saint habitually went about. And then she saw an
opportunity; and having conceived a plan in her mind, sent forward her
daughter, a courtesan by trade and of smart sense. And that clever woman
went to the vicinity of the religious man and arriving at the hermitage
beheld the son of the saint.

"'The courtesan said, "I hope, O s